JAMFs Are Coming – Johnny Griffin
This laid-back, very swinging blues head was a staple of Johnny Griffin’s repertoire from the ‘60s to the end of his life. The many recordings are all slightly different, but the same basic lead sheet applies to all versions.
- Recording: Johnny Griffin - Lady Heavy Bottom's Waltz
- Recorded on: August 27, 1968
- Label: Vogue (LDVS 17164)
- Concert Key: A
- Style: Funky 2-feel & swing
- Trumpet - Benny Bailey
- Trombone - Ake Persson
- Tenor Sax - Johnny Griffin
- Bari Sax - Sahib Shihab
- Piano - Francy Boland
- Bass - Jimmy Woode
- Drums - Kenny Clare, Kenny Clarke
Video
- Johnny Griffin (ts), Vince Benedetti (p), Alby Cullaz (b), Art Taylor (ds): Live in France, August 29, 1971
For a description of this song in general, click on the album cover for “Chicago, New York, Paris,” above right.
This first small group recording has a medium-tempo shuffle groove (quarter note = ca.128). The changes are a bit simpler than they are on our lead sheet, with Gm7 on the ninth measure instead of D♭7. There is no rising gliss (“doit”) on the seventh measure, as there is in many later versions. The bass and drums play a four-measure intro; the coda is the same as on our lead sheet.
This first small group recording has a medium-tempo shuffle groove (quarter note = ca.128). The changes are a bit simpler than they are on our lead sheet, with Gm7 on the ninth measure instead of D♭7. There is no rising gliss (“doit”) on the seventh measure, as there is in many later versions. The bass and drums play a four-measure intro; the coda is the same as on our lead sheet.
There is some confusion as to the date of this session, recorded in Cologne, Germany. According to the Lord discography, the Vogue issue gives the year as 1967; the discography of Griffin on jazzdisco.org says 1968.
The players on this session are all members of the big band co-led by pianist Francy Boland and drummer Kenny Clarke. Aural evidence confirms that two drummers are playing on this track: Clarke and the confusingly similar-named Kenny Clare.
This is the second recording of this song. The first was a live big band recording in 1964, at the International Jazz Workshop Concert in Recklingshausen, Germany. This big band, directed by Hans Koller, includes the same four horn players heard on this Vogue recording.
The acronym in this song’s title is an obscene insult that begins with “jive”—presumably in jest judging by the song’s laid-back good humor.
The players on this session are all members of the big band co-led by pianist Francy Boland and drummer Kenny Clarke. Aural evidence confirms that two drummers are playing on this track: Clarke and the confusingly similar-named Kenny Clare.
This is the second recording of this song. The first was a live big band recording in 1964, at the International Jazz Workshop Concert in Recklingshausen, Germany. This big band, directed by Hans Koller, includes the same four horn players heard on this Vogue recording.
The acronym in this song’s title is an obscene insult that begins with “jive”—presumably in jest judging by the song’s laid-back good humor.
- Recording: Kenny Clarke / Francy Boland - All Blues
- Recorded on: May 27, 1969
- Label: MPS (15288)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Trumpet - Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, Tony Fischer, Dusko Goykovich
- Trombone - Ake Persson, Nat Peck, Eric Van Lier
- Alto Sax - Derek Humble
- Tenor Sax - Johnny Griffin, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe
- Bari Sax, Soprano Sax - Sahib Shihab
- Piano - Francy Boland
- Bass - Jean Warland
- Drums - Kenny Clare, Kenny Clarke
This big band recording is slower and more laid-back than the "Lady Heavy Bottom’s Waltz" version (quarter note = ca.112), though still powered by a shuffle groove. The changes contain a few more passing chords like our lead sheet, especially in the last two measures; Gm7 is again used in the ninth measure. This version has the rising gliss in the seventh measure shown on our lead sheet.
The big band arrangement contains a rhythmic intro and coda, related to each other; the last two measures of the out head are tagged three times before the coda.
The big band arrangement contains a rhythmic intro and coda, related to each other; the last two measures of the out head are tagged three times before the coda.
Johnny Griffin was a member of the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band from 1967 to 1969. Trumpeter Idrees Sulieman also joined this band in 1967 and stayed with them until 1972.
- Recording: Oscar Peterson - Another Day
- Recorded on: November 10-13, 1970
- Label: MPS/BASF (21 20869-6)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Piano - Oscar Peterson
- Bass - George Mraz
- Drums - Ray Price
Oscar Peterson interprets this song at a slow, laid-back tempo (quarter note = ca.100). He takes some liberties with the melody, introducing a variation the second time through both the in and out heads which focuses on the tonic in the first measure, instead of the third. The changes have relatively few passing chords, with G7 in the ninth measure instead of D♭7. Oscar plays a chorus of unaccompanied solo before the head, in his classic block-chord style. There is a coda which contains a chromatic “walk down,” ending on a slightly unexpected delicate G♭maj7 to Fmaj7.
"Another Day" is one of three albums recorded by Oscar Peterson over four days in 1970, in Villingen, Germany. The other two are “Walking The Line,” another trio album, and the solo piano album “Tracks.”
- Recording: Johnny Griffin - Bush Dance
- Recorded on: October 18-19, 1978
- Label: Galaxy (GXY-5126)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Tenor Sax - Johnny Griffin
- Guitar - George Freeman
- Piano - Cedar Walton
- Bass - Sam Jones
- Drums - Tootie Heath
- Congas - Kenneth Nash
This version returns to a more laid-back feel and tempo (quarter note = ca.112). Tenor sax and guitar have the melody in unison. There are a few more of the passing chords as in the lead sheet, with G7 again on the ninth measure.
Johnny Griffin returned to the USA in 1978-79. "Bush Dance" was one of a few recordings he made in Berkeley, California, during this time, some of which have Ronnie Mathews on piano. Guitarist George Freeman had played with Johnny Griffin back in the ‘40s; he’s better known for his work with saxophonist Gene Ammons. A week before the “Bush Dance” sessions, Cedar Walton played on the Philly Joe Jones sessions for the albums “Drum Song” and “Advance,” alongside trombonist Slide Hampton and saxophonist Harold Land.
- Recording: Johnny Griffin - Chicago, New York, Paris
- Recorded on: December 4-5, 1994
- Label: Verve (314-527367-2)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Trumpet - Roy Hargrove
- Tenor Sax - Johnny Griffin
- Piano - Peter Martin
- Bass - Rodney Whitaker
- Drums - Gregory Hutchinson
A laid-back, very swinging blues head with a classic hard-bop sound. The melody is in a bluesy bag but outlines the changes a little especially toward the end. The changes in our lead sheet come from this "Chicago, New York, Paris" recording. This version has a few passing chords, notably a descending sequence in the seventh and eighth measures (to D♭7) and a "walk down" with a chord on each beat in the last two measures. Many other recordings have more simplified changes. This recording has a relaxed 2-feel (quarter note = ca.104).
Contrary to this album’s title, it was recorded entirely in New York, but the title does outline Griffin's career. Johnny Griffin had previously recorded with trumpeter Roy Hargrove a year earlier on the latter’s "With The Tenors Of Our Time", also featuring Rodney Whitaker and Gregory Hutchinson. Other songs on "Chicago, New York, Paris" have Victor Lewis on drums.
- Recording: Johnny Griffin - Live At Ronnie Scott's
- Recorded on: May 26-27, 2008
- Label: In & Out (77095)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Trumpet - Roy Hargrove
- Tenor Sax - Johnny Griffin
- Piano - David Newton
- Bass - Reggie Johnson
- Drums - Billy Cobham
Video
- Johnny Griffin Quartet at the 2001 Montreal Jazz Festival: Johnny Griffin - tenor; Michael Weiss - piano; John Webber - bass; Kenny Washington - drums
About the same tempo as the "Chicago, New York, Paris" recording, this version is phrased a little differently. The first two beats of the first measure are considerably laid back, but the “and” of beat 2 is cut short on both the second and sixth measures. There are a bit fewer passing chords, with G7 yet again on the ninth measure. The rising gliss in the seventh measure is notably more controlled than in some other versions, with a drum roll into a hit on beat 3. On the first time through the head, the bass doubles the melody in measures 5 and 6.
This album is Johnny Griffin’s very last recording. A month later, trumpeter Roy Hargrove recorded his big band album “Emergence.” "Live At Ronnie Scott’s" also includes a version of Griffin's When We Were One, which Roy had recorded with Johnny 15 years earlier on "With The Tenors Of Our Time."
Johnny Griffin
April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008
A tenor saxophonist of amazing energy and invention, Griffin was influenced by such revered artists as Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker and Ben Webster. He was first heard prominently in his youth with Lionel Hampton's orchestra from 1945-47, making his first recording with Hamp when he was only 17 years old. In 1947, Griffin joined Joe Morris's rhythm & blues group. Morris (trumpet) had also been a recording member of Hamp's bands since 1943. He left Hamp a little before Johnny did. By 1948 the Morris band had changed personnel to include Elmo Hope (piano), Percy Heath (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums) along with Matthew Gee on trombone. Read more...